IVF Treatment: A Closer Look at the Process
Have you been told you need an IVF treatment, or maybe you know someone else who does? Well IVF is a common procedure that can help couples overcome various types of infertility or other obstacles.
What is IVF?
In vitro fertilization, otherwise known as IVF, is an assisted reproductive technology where an egg and sperm are manually combined for fertilization. Once an embryo has formed, it will be transferred to the uterus where hopefully a successful pregnancy will occur.
When Should You Use IVF?
If you are affected by infertility, you may consider going through with the IVF process. Some common reasons patients would need to use IVF are:
- Blocked or damaged Fallopian tubes
- Women who have had their Fallopian tubes removed
- Male factor infertility including decreased sperm count or sperm motility
- Women with conditions such as premature ovarian failure, endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome
- Individuals with a genetic disorder
IVF may also be considered for couples who have tried to get pregnant with no success or explanation for a long period of time. If a woman does not have healthy eggs herself, IVF can be done using donor eggs.
You may also consider using donor sperm for the IVF treatment whether you are a single woman trying to get pregnant or a couple having trouble.
What’s the IVF Process?
Step 1: Start taking fertility medication that has been prescribed to stimulate egg production.
Step 2: When ready, the egg retrieval will be done through a minor surgical procedure using an ultrasound imaging guide and hollow needle to extract the eggs. No major pain or discomfort should be felt as the patient will be under sedation.
Step 3: Once the eggs are retrieved, they will be prepared for fertilization in the laboratory. The provided sample of sperm will then be placed with the eggs in a petri dish for them to fertilize. There is also the option for the embryologist to directly place a single sperm into an egg to maximize the chances of fertilization.
Step 4: When the eggs and sperm cells have fertilized, they form what are called embryos. The embryos are then kept in an incubator for 3-5 days until they have developed sufficiently enough to be transferred into a woman’s uterus using a catheter. A pregnancy will hopefully occur soon after the procedure for the completion of a successful IVF treatment.
If more than one embryo has developed sufficiently, they can be stored for future use of adding other siblings to the family.
Need More Information?
For more information, please contact one of our friendly and knowledgeable Customer Care Coordinators at (407) 203-1175, or start looking now at our donor search to view our extended lists of donors. We look forward to helping you on your path to parenthood!